Electric railway.



No. 689,8I6. Patented Dev; 24, IQOI.

- a. L FOWLER. 4

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

A umion filed July 1a, 1900. Bonewed Apr. 25, 1901. (No Model.)

F/Gi 6. Ha. 7.

. lNl/E/VTUR Z 2 e By-W v WITNESSES:

TKE mums PETERS ca, PumoLlTHov. wAsmNa'romp. c.

2 Shaeis-Shoat l.

ZShoetr-Sheat 2.

Patentod Dec. 24, l90l.

G. L. FOWLER.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY. (Application filed July 16, 1900. kunewed Apr. 25, 1901.)

(Ho Ilodel.)

' lA/l/E/VTUR 2 z 2M A OHNEK:

THE NORRIS PETERS c0. PHOTO-LITNQ. WASHINGTON, D. c. v

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. FOWLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE CEN- TRAL ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF VEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,816 dated December 24, 1901. Application filed July 18, 1900. Renewed April 25, 1901- Serial No. 57,513. (No model.)

T0 at whmn it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. FOWLER, a 9 citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railways, and more particularly to that type of electric railways in which the conductor provided to supply motive power to the cars is located at or near the surface of the roadway structure.

My invention has for its objects to provide for such conductor or third rail, as it is sometimes called, a simple and efficient support which will permit the necessary vertical movement between the conductor and the roadway structure, also to provide an improved insulating-support between the conductor and a metallic shield therefor, and to otherwise improve and simplify and render more practical the construction of electric railways of the type referred to.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts herein described.

The accompanying drawings, which are referred to herein and form a part hereof, illustrate, by way of example, the several embodiments of my invention and serve, in connection with the description herein, to explain the principles of my invention and the best mode contemplated by me of applying those principles.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section through the conductor and one of the supports therefor. Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views illustrating two forms of the insulating-support for the shield. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating details of the sup port for the conductor. Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views illustrating details of the support for the shield. Fig. 8 is a cross-section illustrating a modification. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the same, also illustrating the relation between the support for the conductor and the support for the shield.

Like reference-numerals refer to like parts.

This invention is particularly adapted to that type of third rail or conductor which is provided with oppositely-arranged contactsurfaces adapted to cooperate with a doublecontact trolley device, such as illustrated, for example, in the patent granted to B. C. Seaton August 30, 1898, Serial No. 610,092. As shown,

the conductor consists of a rail having oppositely-arranged heads 1, forming con tact-surfaces, said heads being connected by a suitable web portion 2. The rail is supported by a series of separated insulating-supports, each of which comprises an insulating-block 3, adapted to fit between the head portions 1 of the rail, as shown. The insulating-block 3 is preferably rigidly secured to the conductorrail by means of a bolt 4, the head 5 of which is located in a recess 6, formed in the block 3. The block 3 is mounted upon a base 7, and it is retained in place thereon by means of a boss or projection 8 of the base 7, which boss is located in a recess 9 in the block 3. In'order to permit vertical movement between the conductor and the roadway structure, which movement isrendered necessary on account of the inevitable yielding of the roadway struc- 7 5 ture as the trains pass thereover, the block 3 loosely engages the-boss 8 of the base 7. To prevent said'parts from being entirely separated, however, the boss 8 is provided with a pair of oppositely-arranged lugs 10, which when the block 3 is in position lie above the inwardly-projecting lugs 11, formed on the block 3 at the bottom of the recess 9. The boss 8 isof such length and the recess 9 is of such depth as to permit of considerable vertical movement between the block 3 and the base 7 before the lugs 10 and 11 are brought into contact. It will be seen that the insulating-block 3 may be put in place upon the base 7 by bringing the lugs 11 opposite the recesses formed between'the lugs 10. Then by giving the block 3 a one-quarter turn on the base-7, in which position it is held by the conductor when secured thereto, the lugs will be interlocked, and the parts cannot be sepa- 5 rated without disconnecting the block 3 from the conductor.

In order to protect the rail from the weather and from accidental contact with external objects, a shield 12 is provided, which shield is preferably formed of sheet metal and with inwardly-turned longitudinal edges 13, as shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 23,985. The shield is supported on a series of insulating-supports, each comprising a block 14, which is adapted to be seated between the heads 1 of the conductor, as shown in Fig. 2. The block 14 engages the shield 12 by means of a pair of diagonally-arranged -upwardly-projecting lugs 15. Between the lugs and centrally pivoted on the block 14 is an elongated locking member 16, which is adapted to be turned transversely of the shield, so that its ends engage the upper sides of the inwardly-turned edges 13, thus securing the shield firmly in position on the tops of the lugs 15. By reason of the diagonal arrangement of the lugs 15 they permitofthe locking member 16 being turned, as described, and form stops which limit the movement of said member when it is turned into its operative position. The locking member 16 and theinsulating-block 14 are securely clamped to the conductor by means of a bolt 17, the head of which preferably engages a suitable recess at the pivot-point of the member 16 and the threaded end of which is projected below the rail to receive a nut 18. In order to insulate the bolt from the conductor, a block 19 of insulating material is arranged between the nut 18 and the conductor, and the lower portion of the block 14 is provided with a boss 20, which surrounds the bolt 18 and is seated in a large perforation in the conductor.

A modification of the support for the shield is illustrated in Fig. 3. According to this construction a block 21 of insulating material is arranged between the head of the bolt 17 and the locking member 16, which member is mounted upon said block 21 as a pivot. Preferably and as shown the upper end of the block 21 is adapted to engage asquare recess in the member 16, and the lower end of the block 21 is adapted to engage a circular opening in the top of the block 14, the block 21 thus forming a pivot for the member 16. By reason of this construction the bolt does not need to be insulated from the conductor, and the nut 18 can therefore be clamped directly onto the web 2 of the conductor. This construction is preferable to that shown in Fig. 2 in that the cross-section of the conductor is not reduced at the point where the supports for the shield 12 are connected to the conductor.

In order to more thoroughly protect the conductor, a pair of guards 22 are arranged on the opposite sides thereof, with their upper edges adjacent to the outer edges of the shield 12. These guards may be formed of sheet metal bent into an elongated U form, as shown, with their free edges 23 turned out wardly to receive suitable securing means 24, by which the guards are secured to the sleepers 25 of the roadway structure. By the described construction the guards 22, as well as the shield 12, have upper surfaces, which are substantially continuous and unbroken and therefore not apt to be caught and injured by objects projecting from or dragged over the roadway by the trains passing thereover.

A preferable form of base and guard-rail structure is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. According to this construction the base 26, upon which the insulating-support3 is mounted, is carried outwardly and provided with upwardly-extending brackets 27, to which the vertical Webs 28 of the metal guard-rails are secured by the bolts 29. The upper ends of the guard-rails are preferably provided with outwardly-turned flanges 30. This makes a more compact and rigid structure and is especially desirable where the roadway is to be filled in between the track-rails and the guardrails.

WVhile in manyof its features myinvention is limited to conductors of the double-contact type, it is in some of its features applicable to other forms of conductors, and I do not therefore desire to limit myself to the particular construction herein shown and described or to the particular construction by which my invention is carried into effect, as many changes may be made therein without departing from the principles of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric railway the combination with the roadway structure of a continuous conductor, a shield carried by said conductor and insulated therefrom, and a series of supports for said shield and conductor, the construction being such as to permit vertical movement between the conductor and the roadway structure and prevent lateral movement between said parts, substantially as described.

2. In an electric railway the combination with the roadway structure, of a continuous conductor having oppositely-arranged contact-surfaces, of a shield carried by said conductor and insulated therefrom, and a series of supports for said conductor and shield, the construction being such as to permit vertical movement between the conductor and the roadway structure and prevent lateral movement between said parts, substantially as described.

3. In an electric railway the combination with the roadway structure, of a continuous conductor, a metallic shield carried by said conductor, a series of insulating-supports between said conductor and said shield and an independent series of separated insulatingsupports for said conductor, the construction being such as to permit vertical movement of the conductor with relation to the roadway structure and prevent lateral movement between said parts, substantially as described.

4. In an electric railway the combination with the roadway structure, of a continuous ICC conductor, a continuous metallic shield for said conductor having a substantially continuous and unbroken upper surface, a series of insulating-supports between said conductor and said shield, and an independent series of separated insulating-supports for said conductor, the construction being such as to permit vertical movement of the conductor and shield with relation to the roadway structure and prevent lateral movement between said parts, substantially as described.

5. In an electric railway the combination with a conductor having oppositely-arranged contact-surfaces, a metallic shield for said conductor having a substantially continuous and unbroken upper surface, a series of insulating -supports between said conductor and said shield, and an independent series of separated insulating-supports for said conductor, the construction being such as to permit vertical movement of the conductor and shield with relation to the roadway structure and prevent lateral movement between said parts, substantially as described.

6. In an electric railway the combination with the conductor having oppositely arranged contact-surfaces and a seriesof insulating-supports therefor, each support comprising an upper member and a lower mem ber, said members having an interlocking connection constructed to permit a limited freedom of vertical movement between them, substantially as described.

7. In an electric railway the combination with the roadway structure, of a conductor having oppositely-arranged contact-surfaces, a series of insulating-supports therefor, each support comprising an upper member rigidly secured to said conductor and a lower member secured to the roadway structure, said members having an interlocking connection constructed to permit a limited freedom of vertical movement between the conductor and the roadway structure, substantially as described.

8. In an electric railway the combination with the roadway structure, of a conductor havingoppositely-arranged contact-surfaces,

securing said support to the conductor, substantially as described.

10. In an electric railway the combination with a conductor, of a shield therefor having a locking projection on its under side, a support for said shield having a pivotally-mount= ed member adapted to engage said locking projection, and a stop to limit the movement of said pivoted member when moved into op erative position, substantially as described.

11. In an electric railway the combination with a conductor, of a shield therefor having a substantiallycontinuous and unbroken up= per surface and a locking projection on its under surface, a support for said shield having a pivotally-mounted member adapted to engage said locking projection, and a stop'to limit the movement of said pivoted member when it is moved into operative position, substantially as described.

12. In an electric railway the combination with a conductor, of a shield therefor having a substantially continuous and unbroken upper surface and a locking projection on its under surface and a support for said shield carriedby said conductor, said support hav= ing a pivotally-mounted member adapted to engage said locking projection and a stop to limit the movement of said pivoted member when it is moved into operative position, substantially as described. I

13. In an electric railway the combination with a conductor, of ashield therefor having a locking projection on its under side, and a support for said shield carried by said conductor said support comprising an insulating block and a locking member pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to engage said locking projection, said insulating-block being provided with a stop to limit the movement of said pivoted member when it is moved into operative position,substantially as described.

14. In an electric railway the combination with a continuous conductor having oppositely-arranged contact-surfaces, a metallic shield supported thereby and insulated there from and having a substantially continuous and unbroken upper surface, and a pair of metallic guard-rails having substantially continuous and unbroken upper surfaces, said guard-rails being insulated from said conductor and arranged on opposite sides thereof with their upper edges adjacent to the outer edges of said shield, substantially as described. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE L. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

EDWIN SEGER, J. H. FREEMAN.

too 

